The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-01-22

HOW BOOKS ARE WRITTEN.
Pertiaent Paragraphs ~ 70 the work-s-
Day Aabits Of Some Popular Authors.
Mr.. w. ID. Howells works from 9 4
m. to p. m., dining at 2 p. m.. and Is
. man OF leisure for the rest 0f the day.
de writes about . half-column of the
World per diem. With this stint he
can turn out two novels aud great
deal OF miscellaneous matter in the
year. lie is not satisfied without great
deal of revising. and sometimes re-
writes whole chapter. The manu-
script Of "A Foregone Conclusion" one
of his earlier books, was entirely re-
written.
Mr.. Henry James. Immediately after
. breakfast of coffee and rolls in his own
room. sits down to his literary work,
generally writing by the light of two
candles. the London morning being 80
dark. He composes slowly and pain
fully, rewriting and retouching his work
continually. his artistic style being at
tanned only at the expense Of real toll.
He works until noon. and then goes to
his club for lunch. . BY regular applica-
tion he manages to produce good deal
Of manuscript
Mr.. Samuel l. Clemens MARK
Twain) does not write in his library.
His humorous fancies are evolved with
more ease in the scclusion Of his pri-
vate oilliard-rooln. He makes it an in
variable rule to do certain amount Of
literary work each day. and his work
ing hours are made continuous BY omit
ting the formality of lunch. He u
merciless towards his own productions
and often destroys a whole days writ
ing without conjunction. In this way
he sometimes does a piece OF work over
again, but at other times the first draft
is Satisfactory. He is very industrious.
but the mountain sometimes labors 70
bring forth q mouse.
Mr.. Edgar Fawcett who writes for
fame aud not for bread, has been wont
to do his literary work in the fourth
story OF n cheap tenemcnt-house some
distance from his residence in the fash
ionable section Of the city. lie evident
ly believes in the practical application
of Aldrich's verses about the goddess
and the garret. lie is more painstak-
ing about style than about subject mat
ter.
Mr.. j. T. Trowbridge never composes
his poems with pen in hand or his prose
without il. The former take shape in
his mind during strolls across country
and along the banks OF the Hudson. or
while floating i'm his boat on tho river.
He often carries fifty or one hundred
lines in his mind in this way. His
verses arc revised great deal.
Mr.. George w. Cable is a very slow
writer. He averages perhaps 1000
words per day. about q half column of
the World. and some days he does
nothing but revise aud perfect his work.
He goes to his desk at 9 a. m., aud
writes until p. M with only . slight
break for light lunch.
The poet Whittier confesses 70 never
having had any literary methods He
writes when he feels like it. and has
neither tho health nor the pati0nce to
work his copy over afterwards. usually
sending it to the publisher as originally
completed.
Miss Elizabeth Stuart Phelps believes
in the value of = workshop out of the
house, and has an old barn near her
fathers residence at Andovsr. Mass,
whi,hcr she often retires when in tho
mood for writing. Being an invalid.
she is unable to maintain any regular
system Of work.
Miss Louisa May Alcott never has
study; any cOzy corner answers to
write in. She is not particular as to
pens and paper. and an old atlas on her
knee is all the desk she cares for. She
has the power to carry dozen plots in
her head ut time, celebrating them
whenever she is in the mood. Some
times she keeps plot by her in this
way for years before it is put on paper.
At times she lies awake at night and
plans whole chapters. word for word.
and when daylight comes she has only
to write them of as If she were copying.
In her hardest working days she used to
write fourteen hours of tho twenty-fOur,
sitting steadily Mt her work and scarce
ly tasting food until tho task was done.
Very few of her stories have been writ
ten in Concord. She goes to Boston.
hires a quiet room. shuts herself up and
Wult0 IOT Su cast WIuu VI IuSpsi'tiOus
which never fails" In q month or 30
the book is done She never copies and
seldom corrects.
Mrs. Frances H Burnett writes in
''den" at her Washington house. Early
in the morning she seats herself ut the
table and writes until noon. The
morning stint cf pen labor is vigorously
insisted on. mood and often not even
ILL health being consulted. II she is in
happy mental frame the hours arc
not needed and the sentences how free
" from her pen. dusk sometimes conn
ing before her manuscript il laid aside.
II. however. the spirit does not exert it.
sells in particularly prolific fashion. she
devotes the afternoon to recreation.
drives, walks. and social engagements
That Lass o. Lowris's." Pretty Polly
Pcmberton." THE Fire at Grsntley
Mills" and The Fortunes Of Philippe
Fairfax" were all written in about iif-'
teen months -NeU York World